


How Christmas Is Supposed To Be

by Jisatsu05



Category: Pandora Hearts
Genre: Christmas, Gen, Secret Santa 2020, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:28:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28219212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jisatsu05/pseuds/Jisatsu05
Summary: Gilbert, Oz, and Alice are having their first Christmas together after their reunion, and everything about it just feels so right.Thisis what Christmas is about.
Comments: 6
Kudos: 13
Collections: Pandora Hearts Secret Santa 2020





	How Christmas Is Supposed To Be

**Author's Note:**

  * For [mysticnightmarestarlight](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=mysticnightmarestarlight).



Gilbert couldn’t express how heartwarming it felt to celebrate the holidays with Oz and Alice once more. After having spent so much time waiting for the day of their reunion, he felt as if he could cry from joy just by having them together in the same room again.

With hot chocolate in her hands and her knees pulled to her chest, Alice relished in the warmth that the cocoa brought her, yet it couldn’t compare to seeing good, old seaweed head again. Watching him and Oz set up the Christmas tree was something she didn’t know could make her feel so at home until she was here experiencing it. A smile tugged at her lips. She could smell the fresh pine from her seat. 

“You kept it!” Oz looked at the ornament in his hands as he ran his fingers across it. “I didn’t think I’d ever see this again, Gil. I remember the day Uncle Oscar gave this to me. He made it himself.” The memory of his uncle was just one more thing that would make today unforgettable. 

Gilbert gestured for him to hang the star ornament somewhere on the tree, and he told Oz, with a reminiscent tone, “Putting it up was always one of your favorite parts of the holidays. While you two were away, I found you both in everywhere I looked. The thought of ‘I wonder what they’d like to see when they come back’ never left my mind. When I came across that ornament, I knew it’d get damaged if I didn’t keep it for you. I’m really glad you like it.”

He turned to Alice, and the glow on her face from the fireplace made her look extra cozy. “I know you didn’t have ornaments or decorations that I could salvage for you… but even rabbits want to enjoy the holidays. I got you something.” Gilbert excused himself for a moment, and he went to a box from another room. When he came back, he held it out to Alice in the palm of his hand. 

“But it’s not Christmas yet,” she said questioningly.

“It’s not that type of Christmas present. Just open it.”

After setting her drink on the side table, Alice took the gift from Gilbert and set it in her own lap. She felt the seat beside her dip down as Oz sat down to see her reaction and to see what she got, and since Gilbert was the best gift-giver he knew, his excitement only grew.

“You got me an ornament of my own,” Alice said in a heartfelt whisper. Her eyes grew watery as she pulled it from the tissue paper that surrounded it. “I love it.”

In her hands, was a small mahogany music box with a hook on one side that would allow it to hang. An intricate design was cut into the top for music to escape, and despite the interior mechanisms, it felt light in her hands. Oz was the first person to notice a crank.

Gilbert managed to get a picture of Alice’s expression, and Oz’s right beside her made the picture complete. “Turn it around. Wind it up on the back,” he told her.

Oz already had a guess of what song it would play, and he almost couldn’t believe the sound that filled the room. “This is Elliot and Leo’s version of the song,” he breathed. “How did you get this?”

“I had a long time to get this made,” he explained, “and after everything that happened, everyone wanted to help me make things perfect for your return. I went to the nightray household, and I asked if I could borrow their sheet music to have this made. They didn’t want me to take the originals, but I was able to copy it by hand, and it gave it to a craftsman.” He gestured to the ornament once again, “Besides, I thought they deserved to be a part of Christmas, too.”

At his side, Alice had just about the same reaction as Oz, and she couldn’t help but think that this was one of the best gifts she had ever been given. Her eyes shifted to the tree looking for a spot where the ornament could be hung. She could feel the small movements made by the box as it continued to play the melody.

“Can I hang it up?” She asked.

“It’s the last ornament. Go ahead. Then you can put the topper on.”

“I don’t think I can reach it,” she said. “You’re the tallest. You should do it.”

Oz responded before Gilbert had the chance to, “Nope, he’s right. You should be the one to put it on, Alice! He and I have done it a hundred times before. You’ve never done it before. I’ll lift you up so that you can reach.”

After a moment, Alice got up from her seat, and she headed over to the tree. From over her shoulder she called to Oz in tease, “Don’t drop me or I’m eating all the Santa cookies before you get to them.”

“If there’s Santa cookies on the line, you’ve got nothing to worry about. Those are the best ones!” He moved to stand at Gilbert’s side and watched Alice find a good spot on the tree for the little music box. Spending Christmas with Gilbert was something he had missed for so long.

“Hey,” Alice called, “where’s the topper? It’s not here.”

“Yes, it is. At your side.” Gilbert chided her slightly for her lack of attention, but a chuckle escaped him. “Come on. Let’s put it up then.”

Oz came closer and put his arms around Alice’s waist. Then he counted down from three to lift her up. She did her best to make the metal piece stand up straight, and at almost the same time as her feet came back to the ground, a ring came from the kitchen as a timer went off. 

“The cookies should be ready now,” Gilbert said. “I’m going to take them out to cool down, and later we can decorate them. Don’t even think of touching the snowman cookies; those are  _ mine _ .” 

The room filled with laughter at Gilbert’s threat. Then, as he walked past Alice’s half-filled mug on his way to the kitchen, Gilbert reminded her, “Don’t forget about your hot chocolate.” 

She happily took the cup into her hands once again and retook her seat on the couch. “Let’s turn on a movie,” she said to Oz. “I want to choose the first movie, and we can marathon the rest.”

“I get to choose the second movie then!” After agreeing without hesitation, Oz got up to bring all the movies out from the cabinet they sat in. “Once you choose the movie, I’ll get it started.”

Gilbert came back in once a movie had been chosen, and he watched as Oz started it. With him, he also brought tea for himself and Oz. 

After grabbing a blanket, he sat down, too. In just a few minutes, the three were huddled together, warm drinks were in their hands, a cozy blanket was overtop of them, and the movie was playing in the background. This was what Christmas was about. And it felt so perfect. 

For one hundred years, Gilbert had waited and everything was finally right in the universe again. Being here right now felt like home to him, and he had missed it so much.

And Oz and Alice felt the exact same way.  _ This  _ was how Christmas was supposed to be.


End file.
